Incubator



M. T. GLAESER.

INCUBATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3. 191a Patented June 20, 1922..

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W w a w J M. T. GLAESER.

INCUBATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 19l8. I 1,420,092. Patented June 20, 1922..

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INCUBATOR. APPLICATION ,FILED JUNE 3. 1918. 1,420,092, Patented June 20, 1922.

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INCUBATOR. APP LICATION FILED JUNE 3 I918- Patented June 20, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4- M. T. GLAESER.

INCUBATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3,1918.

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MARTIN T. GLAESIER, CHICAGO, ELLINOIS.

INCUBATGR.

Application filed June 3, 1818.

T0 (L/Ji "iv/1.0922. may concern lie it lilliIHVil that l, lllAu'llli T. tlnnnsnn, it

-n oi. the l niteil tjtntes, residing at .cego. in the county of (fool: end titnte oi :i lli'nois. have inventr-nl certninnew :i'nd usc'tul. improvements in incubators, oi. which the tollmving is n specification.

The invention relates to poultry incubutors. and. the general object tl'iereol is to produce an inciibz-ztor of high etliciency. i More speciliczilly one object oi the invention is toproduce an incubator in \vhirh the air in the chamber may be nieintaineiil nt 21 ilegree ot lniniidity substantially uni- 'toi'm throughout the chun'iher.

A further object ol the invention is to provide improved means tor causing the uir to circulate through the chamber.

Another object (it the invention is to provide improved hie-ens tor S'tlPPl. /l1ig warm moist air to the clnunber.

A further object ot the inventimi is to provide an chamber of relatively great capacity and inezrus tor nnrinteining therein a sutlicient quantity oi arm nir iii' the proper degree 0t humidity.

Still zinother object of the invention is to provide in'iproved means tor automatically regulating the tenniernture in the egg chinoher.

The objects ot' the invention thus generally stated. together with other and ancillziry advantages. may be uttainei'l by the construction and arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part hereot. in which Figure l is A vertical sectionul view through on incnlmtor embodying the features o'l my invention. the view being taken in the plane of line .ll. of Fig. at. Fig. a transverse sectional view through the incubator taken on line 2-2 ol' Fig. l. Fig. 3 is :1 similar view taken on line 3- 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is n. liOilZOulzil sectional view taken on line -:l. t ol Fig. 1. Fig.1. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of an indicating device taken in the plane ot line 5-5 of Fig. -l. l ig. 6 is a top Plttli view ot' the incutmtor. showing the :nrrmigement ol the temperature controlling means. is fingincntury sectional view taken in the plane oi line T T of Fig. (5. Fig. 8 :1 'l'rugmentnr v transverse sectional view taken on line oli Fig. 1.. Fig. 9 is e. tragmentnrv longitudinal sectional view tillx'till on line fL-l) of Fig. 6. Fig. 10 is an en lergc fl sectional view taken in the plune ol Specification 01 Letters Patent.

Patented June 2t 1922. Serial no. 237.890.

dotted line 10 of Fig. 8, Fig. 11 is a sectional view through the rear end of the heater. I

The incubator is preferably made in the form of a rectenguulr case I mounted upon legs 2 and having therein: on egg chamber divided by means of suitable partitions into a plurality of separate compurtments 3, 3, 3", 3 and :1 chamber below the egg chamber tor receiving the chicks from the hitter, also divided into compartments corresponding in number to the compartments ot the egg chamber and each having a drawer l; below the chick chamber a ventilating chamber also divided into separate ronn'izirtments and above the egg chamber 11 pair oi Wntfil containernj or reservoirs 6 and an interincdiete exhaust chamber T.

The case 1 comprises a top wall 8. end walls 9. rear wall 10. bottom wall 11 and front wall. said wells being connected together in any preferred manner. Tle top, end, and rear walls are similarly formed 0t an inner and an outer metallic plate having a layer of insulating material l3 therebetween. The tront. well formed hollow with a layer oi insulating material. 13 therein, and is provided with n pl ural ity oi doors 12, one for each compartment of the egg chamber, and also with a plural ity of openings for receiving the chicli' drawers l below the egg chamber. The doors 12 are preferably made with two panes of with an air space therebetween. The bottom wall ll of? the case torming the bottom. of the ventilating chamber may be made in the torin of a single metallic sheet. and below each of the compartments 5 of said chnmber said well provided with it slide 11 for controllingtheadmission of air into the chick chamber.

The partitions for dividing the egg chamber into the separate compartments 3. 3, etc... preferably comprise two sheets of wi re netting or screens Ll spaced apart and tastened at their forward and rear edges to the front and rear walls of the case. Said screens serve to support the trays 15. which may be of the type illustrated and described in my prior Patent No. l.O5l..5T5, suitable angle irons l5 being fastened to the screens near the lower edges thereof to form supporting ledges tor the trays.

On the underside of the case 1, secured to the bottom wall 11 as by means of brackets l6 is a heater arranged to produce a water vapor. Said heater comprises an inner or heating chamber 17 and an outer orwater chamber 18 (Figs. 1, 3 and 11). The inner chamber has an inlet pipe 19 at its forward end, opening into the bottom thereof and an outlet pipe 20 at its other end leading from the top thereof. Hot gases of combustion supplied from a suitable burner 17 may thus be permitted to pass through the inner chamber, and while so passing to impart a portion of their heat to water contained in the outer chamber or jacket wholly surrounding the inner chamber.

The outlet pipe 20 leading from .the top of the inner chamber of the heater opens at its upper end into a substantially U-shaped heat passageway or chamber 21 formed upon the inner sides of the end and rear walls 9 and 10 of the case and having an upright por tion 21*, a foot portion 21 and header portion 21. The inner wall of said upright portion 21 forms the end and rear walls of the egg chamber, a layer 22 of suitable insulating material, such as compo-board, be ing preferably provided thereon. The foot portion 21 of said passageway extends inwardly a short distance from the end and rear walls below the egg chamber, and centrally of the rear wall receives the upper end of the pipe 20 (Figs. 1 and Thus, the hot gases discharged from said pipe 20 travel upwardly and laterally toward the opposite ends of the egg chamber, and tend to heat the three sides thereof. Preferably the upper wall of the foot portion 21 of the passageway 21, immediately below the egg trays, is provided with a layer 22 of insulating material.

The hot gases traveling upwardly through the passageway 21, in addition to imparting heat directly to the egg chamber, also impart heat to moist air or vapor passing therethrough by way of a series of pipes 23 discharging into the egg chamber through the header portion 21 of said passageway. The lower ends of said pipes 23 communicate with a cool-air chamber or channel 24; formed below the passageway 21. Said channel is made of a width substantially equal to that of the foot portion 21 of the passageway 21. and is arranged between the end and rear walls of the casing and the chick and ventilating chambers. The bottom wall 1] of the casing forms the bottom of said channel and said wall is'provided with a plurality of openings 25 tl'irough which cool air is permitted to enter the channel, where it is mixed with warm vapor rising from a water container or evaporating pan in the form of a trough 26. Said trough is located near the bottom of the channel 24 and extends throughout the length thereof along the end and rear walls. This trough communicates substantially midway between its end with. the water acket 18 (Fig. 11) as by means of short pipe connections 27 passing through the bottom 'wallil of the case 1, and in the operation of the incubator a sufficient quantity of water is inserted into the trough as by means of a funnel 28 Fig. 3 having a valved pipe connection therewith. From the trough the water flows into the jacket 18 not only to completely till the jacket, but also to partially till the trough. Preferably the trough is inclined from its opposite ends downwardly toward the pipe connections 27 communicating with the water jacket, so that the water may always flow toward the water jacket. It will be seen that, as the water is heated by the hot gases passing through the inner chamber 17 of the heater, the hot water rises into the evaporating trough and the vapor rises from the trough into the mixing channel. the water cools, it flows back into the jacket to be reheated.

The vapor rising from the trough 26 mixes with the cool air, entering the mixing channel 24: through the openings 25 in its bottom wall to form warn'rmoist air, a series of tubular stems 29 being provided in the bottom of the trough to permit the air to pass therethrough. From the mixing chamber the warm moist air enters the lower ends of the pipes 23 which extend upwardly through the assageway 21, and as above stated. the moist air passing upwardly through the pipes 23 becomes heated by the hot gases passing upwardly through said passageway 21. Thus the moist air is discharged in a warm condition into the up per portion of the egg chamber, and since a plurality of inlet pipes 23 are provided at spaced intervals around the chamber. the incoming air is distributed substantially uniformly throughout the chamber.

The moist air thus admitted into the upper portion of the chamber 1 ;iowly descends into the lower portion thereof and linally discharges from the egg chamber through vertical pipes 30 leading from a point near the bottom of the egg chamber to the atmosphere through the top wall 8 of the case 1. Preferably the pipes 30 are located in the spaces formed between the screens l 4.- of the partitions between the compartments of the chamber. In this position the pipes do not interfere with the insertion or removal of the trays l5 and at the same time cause the moist air to circulate through the chamber before exhausting. '7

In practice 1 have found that it is very desirable to employ an egg chamber of relatively great volume and to maintain therein a substantial quantity of moist air. The air thus maintained in the chamber furnishes oxygen to the eggs which tends to produce healthy chicks. Accordingly, in addition to the supply of warm moist air introduced by way of the pipes 29. I introduce into the chamber a supply of warm moist air under pressure, the hot gases discharging from the upper portion oi the passageway 21 being further utilized to create a warm vapor in the water containers or reservoirs (3 which vapor is mixed with air under pressure and carried into the upper portion oi? the egg chamber. To this end the hot from the passageway 21 are discharged through a series oi pipes lll leading upwardly irom the header portion 21 oi said passageway and thence horizontally through the water reservoirs 6 and tinally into the exhaust chamber 7. The reservoirs (3 and the exhaust chamber 7 are suitably formed upon the underside oi the top wal t; of the case i, the reservoirs being spaced apart to ili'orm the exhaust chamber therein. The bottom walls of the reservoirs and exhaust chamber. thus term the top wall Oil the egg chamber. The pipes 31 extending through the reservoirs (3 are located near the bottoms thereof so as to pass through the water in the reservoirs and thus to impart to the water the heat of the hot eases passing therethrough. [is shown in Figs. 3 and ti, the exhaust chamber 7 is provided with an exhaust pipe :52 located centrally thereof through which pipe the gases escaping from the pipes Ell r'lischarge to the atmosphere.

It will be apparent that the warm gases thus passing through the pipes iii in the reservoirs produce a warm vapor therein. and in order to introduce such vapor into the egg chamber l preterably employ air under pressure. liereiu I have shown a tank 33 arranged to supply compressed air to a water glass or tube 3% Figs. l and 5 of ordinary construction, by way of a pipe 35 having a controlling valve 35 (Figs. 1. and 6) and connected with a pipe 35 leading into one end of the tube 3st. Fiaid tube is preferably located along the upper Forward edge of the case 1 and is also connected by means oi? a pipe 86 having. suitable connections with pipes 36 and 3G communicating with the reservoirs 6. Thus, the tube 34; will indicate the level ot the case i in a longitudinal direction as well as the height oi the water in the reservoirs. In the air inlet pipe 3:3" there may be provided a valve 37 and a tunnel 3S ior use in supplying water to the reservoirs. The air admitted into the water tube through the pipe 35 escapes therefrom through a pipe 39 suitably connected with pipes 39* and 39" leading into the reservoirs. and it will be seen that the rate oi ll ow ot the air as evidenced by its passage in the form of bubbles through the water in the tube may be readily regulated by the valve 35 (Fig. 3). The air thus discharged into the reservoirs (3 mixes with the vapor created therein by the warm gases passing throu a the pipes 7 and the warm moist air thus formed under the pressure oi the incoming into the egg chamber through a plurality oi? tubular stems 45 in the bottoms of the reservoirs. At tl eir upper ends said stems terminate a substantial distance above the bot toms of the reservoirs and at their lower ends below the outlet ends oi the pipes 23.

It will be seen that the moist air from the reservoirs 6, by reason oi" the action oi the incoming com; ted air, travels relatively rapidly toward the bottom of the chamber. while the upper portion oi the chamber is filled by the warm moist air discharging from the pipes 23 in a lateral direction and above the outlet ends of thepipcs t0: and l. have found in practice that by properly ulating the how of compressed air by means at tiu valvc 2-55 the air in the egg chamber may be maintained at the proper degree of humidity substantially uniformly throughout the chamber.

The means tor controlling the tem fierature ot the chamber may coiinpu'ise a series oi? thermostatically operated dampers. in Figs. 25 and 6 is shown a pipe -l-l leadmg directly "from the inner :namber 1]" of the heater outwardly and npwardl y to the upper rear ed 'e oi" the case 1. Upon the upper edge oi this pipe is provided a damper 42 arranged. to normally close the pipe but adapted to be raised when the temperature in the chamber becomes excessive-3. to permit the hot gases to escape directly to the atmos phere instead of passing into the p.. 1sageway 21. and imparting their heat to the chamber. Similarly a oi dampers are arranged to normally close the upper ends o'l' a series of exhaust pipes ll one tor each compartment and leading from the upper portion thereof through the top wall 8 of the case l to the atmosphere.

The means for operating the damp rs and a2 may be of any preferred and wellknown construction. Herein such means comprises a series oi? thermostats 48 (Figs. 8 to 10) which are suspended as by means of pipes ii within the partitions between the compartments 3 etc. of the egg chamber. Each oi the thermostats 4:3 is connecteiil with its damper by means 0i a rod it) and a weighted lever $6. The lever has i ormed thereon a bearing plate 4:? pivotally mounted between a pair of standards 4.8 and the upper end of said rod passes through said p ate and has tixed thereon a washer or disc 49. Below the plate a nut .30 is threaded on the rod and spaced from the dish 4-9 to permit relative movement between the lever and the rod. The spaces within the partitions between the compartn'ients are made suilicient-ly large to accommodate two thermostats when necessary (Fig. 9). The thermostats are preferably located substantially in the horizontal plane oi? the egg trays. It will be seen that when the heat in the egg ciamber becomes excessive the thermostats l3 controlling the dampers 42 and d9) im- Cir reac es chamber through the pa into he egg chamber, and means 1 moist air to said air chamber connected with said pas hot gases oi? con'ibusl'ion enter said passageway.

5. An incubator liui'li" in i-ombination, an egg chamber prov ded with an outlet. a passageway formed in phirality of upright hollow side walls oi sa d c n chamber. an air chamber below and extending along adjacent to said passageway. means for supplying; warm moist air to the air chamber including a heater having a water chamliier and a heating; chamber, said heating chamber being connected with said passageway to heat it, and means passing through said ssa neway for conducting the moist air from the air chamber to the egg chamber.

6. Au incubator having. in com 'iination, an chamber provided with an outlet. a passageway formed. in a plurality o1? upright hollow side walls of said chamber, an air chamber below extending along beside said passageway, an evaporating pan opening directly into said. air chamber, plurality of pipes leading: trom the air chamber through said passageway into the chamber. and means for heating water in said pan and supplying heat to said passageway.

7. An incubator having, in, combination, an egg chamber provided with an outlet. a passageway formed in a. plurality of urn'irrht hollow side walls of said egg: chamber. an evaporating pan directly under said pa way, a plurality of air inlet tubes protruding: upwardly in said pan. means ior heating the water in said pan and :upplyiu; heat (it: aid passageway, and means passin through said passageway for conducting: the moist air formed above said pan to the egg); chamber.

8. An incubator having. in combination, an chamber with an outlet, a chick chamber below the chan'iber, a passageway formed in a plurality of upright hollow side walls ot' the chamber, an air chamber below said passageway and extending substantially throughout the length thereof, means For supplying vapor to said air chamber and heat to said passageway, and means passing; through said passageway for conducting moist air from the air chamber to said chamber.

9. An incubator comprising an egg chamher having hollow side walls. a water reservoir above the egg hamber having a plu rality of pipes projecting upwardly above the surface of the water therein and downwardly into the egg chamber a distance somewhat below the top wall thereof, means for r reway so that the. from the heater heating the water in the reservoir and means for conducting warm moist air to the egg; chamber comprising a plu 'ality of pipes discharging substantially horizontally into the egg chamber above the lower ends of "the first mentioned pipes.

10. An incubator having an chamber. means for supplying warm vapor to the egg: chamber including a plurality of pipes exendinp; downwardly in the upper portion of the egg chamber and terminating a short distance below the top wall thereof. and means for supplying warm moist air to the egg chamber comprising a plurality of pipes baring their discharge ends horizontally ar rann eiil in the upper portion of the egg chamber above the lower ends of the first men tioned pipes.

ll. An incubator comprising, in combina tion, a case providing an egg chamber, a iihirality oi} upright air pipes spaced apart at various sides of the case and opening into the upper portion of the chamber at dill'erent sides thereof, an upright passage way entirely enclosing said pipes. and means including a heater tor supplying warm moist air to said air pipes and hot gases to said [)tlSSttgT-BWH).

12. An incubator comprisin in combina tion, a case providing an egg chamber, a plurality of upright air pipes spaced apart and opening into the upper portion of the Page chamber. an upright passageway encl. 11g said pipes, means including a heater for supplying warm moist air to said air pipes and hot gases to said passageway, and means heated by the hot gases discharged from said passageway for supplying an addii ional quantity oi" warm moist air to the eg chamber.

An inrubatij r having. in combination, on, ep'g; chamber, means ior supplying warm mo' air to the lower portion oil the egg chamber comprising an inlet tube depending and discharging downwardly into the upper portion of the egg chamber, and means :tor supplyingwarm moist air to the upper portion of the egg chamber comprising a tube discl'iarging' laterally into the upper portion of the egg chamber and above the outlet of the tube of the first mentioned means.

14;. An incubator comprising, in combina tion a -ase providing an egg chamber and a closed moisture chamber adapted to contain a quantity ol water, a series of horizontal pipes passing through said closed chamber. a heater, means for conducting hot gases from the heater to said series of pipes, means for introducing air under pressure to said chamber, and a plurality of pipes adapted to discharge warm moist air formed in the moisture chamber to the egg chamber.

15. An incubator having, in combination, an egg chamber provided with an outlet and having a hollow wall providing an upright lOO llO

llb

passageway, a series of conductors for moist air passing through said passageway and opening into the egg chamber, a closed chamber above the egg chamber arranged to contain av quantity of water and having a plurality of pipes passing therethrough, a heater, means for conducting hot gases from the heater through said passageway and into said pipes, and means for discharging the vapor produced in the closed chamber to the egg chamber. V

16. An incubator comprising, in combina tion, a case providing an chamber and a closed moisture chamber, an evaporating pan in the lower portion ofthe case, a heater arranged toheat water in said pan, means for admitting air to the space above the pan, means conducting the mixture of. air and vapor to the chamber, and means for conducting hot gases through the closed chamber to heat water contained therein, said closed chamber having discharge pipes opening into the egg chamber, and the means for conducting the hot gases to said closed chamber being adapted to heat the mixture oi air and vapor passing to the chamber from said evaporating pan.

1?. All incubator comprising a case providing an egg: chamber, an evaporating pan in the lower portion of the case below the egg chamber, a closed chamber above the chamber, a heater adapted to heat the water in the evaporating pan, means for conduct ing the mixture of air and vapor formed above the first evaporating pan to the egg chamber, means for conducting hot gases from the heater through the closed chamber to heat water therein, means for admitting a variable quantity of air under pressure to said closed cl amber, and discharge pipes leading from the closed chamber to the egg chamber.

18. An incubator comprising, in combination, a casing, a. passageway around the easing, means including a heater for producing a quantity of warm moistair, means passing throu 51h said )assageway tor condrmting the warm moist air to the upper portion of the cpgg chaniiber, said heater being arranged to discharged hot gases into said passageway, an exhaust oipe leading l'rom'the upper portion ol the egg chamber, a thermostatically (npcrated damper for controlling said e2;- haust pipe, and an outlet pipe of relatively restricted diameter leading tron'i the lower portion 01" the egg chamber and arranged to induce a constant circulation of air through the chamber. 7

1%), A incubator having, in con'ibi'nation, an chamber of substantial length, a plurality of foraminated partitions dividing; the egg chamber into inter-communicating compartments, means for introducing warm moist air into each of said compartments, means for permitting the gradual escape of air from said compartments, an exhaust pipe for each oil} said compartments, a damper nmmall closing each of said pipes, and a plurality of thermostat-s for said dampers iocated within said partitions.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

laiARTlN T. GLAESER. 

